THIS WEEK IN NACAC
26 July 2021
NACAC President’s Message, Tokyo Olympics 2020
Mike Sands, President of NACAC, has delivered a message to all member federations of the Area, congratulating them and through them, all athletes, for their engagement in the Tokyo Olympics which officially began on Friday 23 July 2021 at the Olympic Stadium in Japan’s capital.
In his message, Sands stated, “As we approach the start of the athletics competition in the edition of the quadrennial Olympic Games, I wish to congratulate all of our member federations represented.”
He reminded member federations that, “As the world’s leading sport for individuals, athletics holds the interest of fans of the Olympics across the world as happens with no other sport and we remain proud of this fact.”
Noting the dominance of athletics in the Area, Sands declared with pride, “As President of NACAC, it is my pleasure and that of our Council, to highlight the number of flag bearers of our Area who were given the distinct honour of carrying their nation’s flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games.”
The NACAC Area, while proud of the membership of the USA, Canada and Mexico as being the largest members, nonetheless comprises a myriad of small member federations, all of whom, in their unique way, epitomise the Jamaican saying, “We small but we tallawah’. This saying insists that ultimately, talent, not size of country, matters and that the history of athletics in the Olympics has long since chronicled that athletes from our smallest members have often risen to the occasion.
Emphasising the significant improvement in the status of women in athletics in NACAC, Sands stated, “In this edition of the Summer Olympics we believe that our women will continue to show the immense progress we have made in gender equity by delivering performances equal to those of our men as they compete in the several events watched by enthusiastic fans around the world.” Finally, Sands, in speaking on behalf of all of NACAC, declared, “We wish each of our athletes the very best in the competition.”
Indeed, member federations of NACAC, are anticipating that our Area will once more emerge as the makers and shapers of the track and field landscape in Tokyo, reminiscent of the last foray in the city in 1964.
An Aruban woman is now IOC Vice President
Her name is Nicole Hoevertsz. While her sport is swimming, her love for sport and her rise through the ranks of Caribbean sport administrators have led her to befriend athletics.
It is against this backdrop that NACAC is extremely proud of the latest achievement of Nicole Hoevertsz.
At the 138th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Tokyo, just ahead of the start of the Games, She was elected unopposed as the Vice President of the organization. NACAC extends congratulations to Nicole and to the entire Aruba sports family on Nicole’s elevation to the position on the IOC.
It was not so long ago that Nicole was elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the IOC. That only a few years later she has attained the post of Vice President speaks volumes of her work over the years and opens up opportunities for women in sport across the Area.
World Athletics at Tokyo Olympics
World Athletics is at the Olympics in more ways than one.
On Saturday 24 July, World Athletics convened an Area Information Session with NACAC to bring member federations abreast of developments that are taking place with regard to daily communications from Tokyo to everyone.
Head of Communications at World Athletics, Jackie Brock-Doyle, led the session that carefully outlined the communications objectives:
- The most comprehensive coverage of any sport at the Olympic Games
- The most talked about Sport during the 10 days of the athletics’ competition
- The most shared content of any sport at the Olympic Games
- Daily story posted on Area Association websites from 23 July – 10 August
- A story posted on MF websites / platforms every day of the Games
- A daily story posted on WDL and CTG channels during 10 days of athletics
- 5 athletes in the top 20 athletes covered during the Olympic Games
- Area President and WA Leadership interviews on top 15 RhBs
- At least 2 features / pro active stories in top 20 international newspapers
- More athlete posts than any other sport at the Games
- 24/7 Comms team service/coverage between Tokyo and Monaco
Member Federations have been encouraged to share their stories with the entire athletics family, thereby enriching the daily experiences of the athletes competing on the world stage.
The World Athletics editorial coverage team includes: Nicole, Bob, Jon, Steve and Jess. The Social Media team comprises: Laura, Ben, Michelle, Mike, Christel, Laurent, Lucy, while the proactive Comms Bureau includes: Jackie, Jess, Loic, Dan, Laurent, Lucy, Alice, Delphine Member federations have already committed to making this Athletics experience at the quadrennial Olympics very unique, inclusive and entertaining.
Member federations have been carefully reminded that when doing and submitting content that the following must apply:
- The Olympic Rings must not be included on any assets including, but not limited to, graphics, websites, etc.
- Non-Olympic sponsors cannot be named in post copy together with words relating to the Games, including, but not limited to “Olympic Games” “Tokyo 2020” “Olympics”.
- No moving images (video as well as GIFs) from inside any official venue can be shared on digital platforms, unless you are an official rights-holder.
Grenada seizes AOD Initiative
The Isle of Spice, Grenada, is once more seizing an important initiative. This time around it is the World Athletics (WA) Athletes Olympic Dividend (AOD) programme which the Grenada Athletics Association commenced on Monday 19 July with the hosting of a National Coaching programme that is essentially a Pre-Level #1, entrance to the fundamentals of coaching.
Coaches Wayne Mc Sween and Albert Joseph have been taking the 27 enthusiastic participants, seven (7) females and twenty (20) males, through their paces over the 10-day period of the course. Both coaches have thus far expressed satisfaction with both the level of interest and the commitment shown during the programme.
The programme culminates with an exam. Successful participants will be eligible for the WA Level I Coaching Course, projected for later in the year.
According to the GAA the National Coaching Programme is the first stage of this year’s AOD programmme, and forms part of the Federation’s education and training strategic priority, aimed at providing support, training opportunities and encouragement to all coaches, whilst increasing the skills, competencies and expanding the pool of young active coaches.
The next stage of this year’s AOD programme will target the training of athletics technical officials.
NACAC is pleased with the GAA’s initiative and will, in future editions, highlight the programmes undertaken by member federations with the AOD resources for which they have been successful in receiving from WA.
Wednesday 28 July
World Athletics Council Meeting in Tokyo – Day #1
10.00am ECT – Weekly Meeting – Mike Sands, Michael Serralta, Chester Morgan, Garth Gayle and Keith Joseph
Thursday 29 July
World Athletics Council Meeting in Tokyo – Day #2
Friday 30
Meeting with Miramar
Start of Athletics at the Olympics, Tokyo, Japan
